Lifesaving device



y 1945. c; L. SEICHEPINE LIFE-SAVING DEVICE Filed Se t. 5, 1944 PatentedMa 22, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j a 2,376,824 A I LIFESAVINGDEVICE Clara L. Seichepine, Leavenworth, Kans. Application September'5,1944, Serial No. 552,772

2 Claims. (01. 9-20) This invention relates to life-saving devices.

An object of this invention is to provide in combination with a hat orheadgear, a buoyant member, such as an inflatable tube, which is capableof sustaining a person in the water.

Another object of this invention is to provide the combination with ahat or headgear of an inflatable tube which is positioned on the outsideof the crown and rim and removably secured through the crown to an innerskeleton frame.

A furtherobject of this invention is to provide a buoyant hat of thiskind which can be worn when swimming and will hold, the wearers head outof the water when floating or swimming on his back.

The frame I4 is adapted to be secured to the hat ID by means offastening loops 2!] which may x be cord, wire or other suitable means,whereby the frame M will be firmly held against movement with respect tothe hat I0. Figure 2, the top of the frame 14 is positioned at a pointspaced downwardly from the top of the crown H so that when the hat isworn the head will engage the upper portion of the frame With theforegoing objects and others which and modifications may be resorted towhich fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a, detail top plan of a combined hat and life-saving means,constructed according to an embodiment of this invention, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken 'on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. v

Referring to the drawing, numeral l0 designates generally a hat which isformed of a crown II and a relatively wide rim. I 2 having a downtumedouter marginal portion l3. The hat l0 may be constructed of straw orother'suitalble material that the hat will be relatively light in weightand may be coated or otherwise waterproofed so that the hat will not bedamaged when immersed in water.

The hat [0 has mounted on the inner side thereof a wire frame structure,generally designated as H. The frame structure I 4 includes an oval orelliptical lower frame member I5 enthe wire I I is bent outwardly as atl9 so as to lie flat against the inner side of the rim l2, and the lowerend of the extension I9 is welded or otherwise firmly secured to theoval frame member l5.

l4 leaving an air space between the top of the head and the top of thecrown l l.

A buoyant element or member 2| is mounted on the exterior of the hat [0and comprises an inflatable rwbber tube 22 having an air valve 23. Therubber tube 22 is positioned about the lower portion of theorem II andliessubstantially on the upper side of the rim I2 at the inner portionof the latter. The buoyant member or tube 22 is secured to the hat ID bymeans of a plu- 1 rality of flexible holding members 24. Theholdingmembers 24 may be in theform of-a cord or tape which is extended througha, grommet 25 carried by the lower portion of the crown II.

The holding member 24 is looped about the r 5 lower portion of the wireI! and the outer end of the cord may be tied or otherwise securedtogether as indicated at 26. ends of the cord 23 may be on the innerside of the hat.

In the use of this device the hat I0 .may be worn in the usual mannerand if desired a chin g strap may be correlated therewith for detachheadand used as a life-saving device, the in-';

flated tube 2 I being of sufficient capacity, to the user againstdrowning. What I claim is: x i l. Allie-saving device comprising a hathold formed of a crown and a rim, a plurality of grommets extendingthrough said crown, a tubular buoy-v ant member about said crown, andmeans engag-ing through said grommets and about said member securingsaid member to said hat.

2. In a hat, a frame within the hat, .an inflatable buoyant member-onthe exterior of said hat, l

and means securing said "member to said frame, and a plurality ofgrommets secured to the crown" of .said hat, said securing meansextending through said grommets.-

, CLARA L. SEICHEPINE.

As shown in If desired the tied However,

